Around 650 horses, including 182 two-year-olds, will take part in the 30-day Chennai racing season 2021-2022.
The highlight of the season will be the 60th running of the Indian Turf Invitation Cup in March 2022, said Nirmal Prasad, secretary of the Madras Race Club, at a press conference on Wednesday. .
The season scheduled to begin on Nov. 5 (Friday) will now start on Nov. 7. (Sunday) because of persistent rains rendering underfoot conditions not conducive for racing. The concluding meeting will be on March 6, 2022.
Stakes money
The stakes money on offer is ₹12,97,00,000 for 196 races, including the Indian Turf Invitation Cup weekend races to be held on March 5 and March 6, 2022. Apart from the Invitation weekend, 48 cup races have been framed and the total value of the cups and trophies to be presented is ₹48,00,000.
Twenty four ‘A’ Licence and 30 ‘B’ Licence trainers, including Deepesh Narredu, Adhiraj Singh Jodha and Behram Cama from the RWITC, and 34 ‘A’Licence and 80 ‘B’ Licence jockeys would be seen in action.
Outstation horses will be permitted to participate in the Deepak Khaitan Memorial Guindy Gold Cup, Dr. M.A.M. Ramaswamy Memorial Trophy, South India Sprinters Trial Stakes, South India Stayers Trial Stakes, Christmas Cup, Madras Gold Vase (Gr. III), Guindy Grand Prix (Gr. III), South India 1000 Guineas (Gr. II), South India 2000 Guineas (Gr. II), South India Oaks (Gr. I), Coromandel Gromor South India Derby Stakes (Gr. I), and South India St. Leger (Gr. II).
The auction sale of two-year-olds will be held on Jan. 13 (Thursday) and Jan. 14 (Friday).
For races held at Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, and Delhi, inter-venue betting would be conducted at the Chennai and Udhagamandalam race courses.
The entrance fee in Chennai will be ₹160 (members enclosure), ₹40 (first enclosure) and ₹20 (second enclosure).
Online betting
Patrons can bet online, on both domestic and international races, on playindiaraces.com and play.madrasraceclub.com .
Racing dates:November: 7, 10 (S. Rangarajan Memorial Trophy), 11, 18, 24 & 26 (Deepak Khaitan Memorial Gold Cup).
December: 2 (K. Srinivasan Memorial Trophy), 10, 11 (South India 1000 Guineas Gr.II), 16 (G. Narasimhan Memorial Trophy), 17 (South India 2000 Guineas Gr .II), 25 (Christmas Cup) and 31.
January 2022: 1 (South India Oaks Gr II), 6, 7, 13, 14 (Coromandel Gromor South India Derby Stakes Gr. I and Dr. M.A.M. Ramaswamy Memorial Trophy), 21 (South India Trial Stakes), 27 & 28 (Madras Gold Vase Gr.III).
February: 3 (South India Sprinters Trial Stakes), 10, 11 (South India St. Leger Gr.II), 16, 17 (Guindy Grand Prix Gr. III), 23 (G. Kasturi Memorial Trophy) & 24.
March: 5 & 6 (Indian Turf Invitation Cup weekend races)
Note: The above dates are subject to change .
